NEW YORK – Arizona forward Lauri Markkanen was selected with the seventh overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Chicago Bulls. The 7-footer becomes the 70^th NBA Draft pick in program history and the 21^st former Wildcat to be selected in the first round. Going back two decades, 12 of Arizona's last 15 first round picks have gone in the lottery of the NBA Draft.

Markkanen averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a freshman while shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc and 83.5 percent from the free throw line. The forward was a Third-Team All-American and Pac-12 All-Conference First Team selection for a Wildcat team that finished with a record of 32-5 and won a pair of conference championships.

The First Team All-Conference selection was also a voted to the Pac-12's All-Freshmen team by the league coaches. Markkanen went on to earn numerous national accolades, including being a USBWA All-District Team selection, Naismith Trophy semifinalist, Karl Malone Award finalist and a John R. Wooden Award finalist.

The forward from Finland was a two-time Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week this season by averaging 20.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 63.6 percent from the field in road sweep of the Los Angeles schools before 22.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in road sweep of the Washington schools. His work in the sweep of USC and UCLA also earned him Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week from the USBWA. 

Markkanen left his mark on the Arizona record books, finishing in the top five in UA freshmen history in scoring, rebounding, made three-point field goals, made free throws and free throw percentage. He was also the only player in the Pac-12 Conference to rank in the top 12 in scoring, rebounding, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage while his 83.5 percent shooting at the charity stripe led the Pac-12.